Holidays a time for traditions, togetherness

Gillian Mazur, Staff writer

It is finally the most wonderful time of the whole year, the holiday season.

According to the internet, the holiday season is officially defined as “the period of time from Thanksgiving until New Year, including such festivals as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.”

However, I am sure that many people, like me, include Halloween in their own personal definitions as well.

Personally, I love the holiday season!

There always seems to be something magical about this time of year.

It is a certain magic that distinguishes this part of the year from the rest.

As I have gotten older, the holidays have become less about receiving material things and more about giving back to others and focusing on family, friends and good times.

Despite the fact that Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday, it represents something very important.

On top of that, I love the traditions my family has held for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is an incredibly important holiday that should not be skipped over.

It reminds all of us to stop, recognize what we have been blessed with and give thanks for the important people in our lives.

Every Thanksgiving my dad, sister and I always make homemade stuffing together as a family.

It is a family tradition that I look forward to each and every year.

On Thanksgiving Day, my whole family pitches in and cooks the big meal while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The instructions for this holiday are literally in the name, “Giving” and “Thanks.”

Give thanks to the Lord, the universe or whatever you believe in — just do not forget to count your blessings.

Christmas is and always has been my favorite holiday to celebrate.

My favorite part of this holiday is the ever-present Christmas spirit.

It brings a feeling of togetherness, warmth and love on what would otherwise be a cold and dark time, especially with all the snow.

For me, a big factor in producing the holiday spirit is Christmas music.

Whether it is the classics, new pop hits or songs that have played since childhood, Christmas music never fails to bring in the holiday spirit!

Another timely tradition that comes along with this season are the holiday movies, television shows and commercials.

I know that Hallmark movies have the tendency to be incredibly cheesy.

And I also know that the classic Rankin/Bass stop motion movies are on each and every year.

Despite that, one has to be best buds with the Grinch if these do not bring the Christmas cheer.

They always put me in just the best holiday spirit.

I know that there are countless others who feel the same way.

One of the best parts of Christmas is partaking in all of the Christmas traditions both before and after Christmas day itself.

And in only two short and busy months, the New Year’s Eve ball will drop around the world.

New Year’s is often overlooked as a holiday, probably because it comes at the very end of the holiday season.

But I think that New Year’s is one of the most important holidays we have.

New Year’s is a great holiday because it symbolizes a rebirth in some sort of strange, metaphorical way.

New Year’s resolutions are made, the champagne is opened and the new year is welcomed with open arms.

It is a time for us to reflect and examine the year we just passed through, while also looking forward to what may lie ahead in the new year.

The holiday season may be busy, but it is a time to reflect, give thanks, give back and spend time with those you love.

It is a deeply important time of the year for me.

I hope that it’s just as important for you as well.